In recent years the idea of a portable, high‑performance gaming PC in your hands has become more real — and the ASUS ROG Ally is one of the boldest entries. Designed for gamers who want laptop‑class power without waiting for a seat at a desk, the ROG Ally packs a 7‑inch Full HD (1080p) 120Hz display, an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip, 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB NVMe SSD, all running Windows 11 Home.
But hardware alone doesn’t guarantee a great handheld experience. How comfortable is it in the hand? How long does its battery last? Does Windows struggle on a handheld format? Let’s break it down.
Design & Build Quality
At first glance the ROG Ally looks like a gaming controller merged with a PC — with thumbstick, A/B/X/Y buttons, triggers, grip handles and a relatively large screen in the center. ASUS claims the device weighs around 608 g (approximately 1.34 lbs.).
The build features textured grips for comfortable holding, well‑placed controls, and a clean layout. The screen has a glossy finish but is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass Vectus / DXC for durability.
My hands‑on impression: The device feels premium, solidly built, and ergonomically decent for sessions of moderate length. That said, for extended handheld gaming you may feel the size and weight compared to simpler handhelds.
Display & Controls
The ROG Ally’s display is one of its star features: a 7‑inch 1920×1080 (Full HD) IPS‑level touchscreen, operating at up to 120Hz refresh rate, response time as low as ~7ms and supporting AMD Free Sync Premium. Peak brightness is around 500 nits.
This means you’re getting smooth motion and sharp visuals suitable even for AAA PC titles. The wide colour gamut (100% sRGB) ensures colours pop. However, 1080p resolution on a 7‑inch means you could arguably fit higher pix‑density, though for handheld usage it’s acceptable.
Controls: The thumbstick, D‑pad, triggers and bumpers offer full gaming input. Additional rear grip buttons and dedicated “Armory Crate” / macro buttons add flexibility. Windows 11 is installed, so you have full PC‑game freedom rather than a locked ecosystem.
Hardware & Performance
Under the hood, the ROG Ally is powered by the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme APU (8 cores /16 threads, Zen 4 architecture) paired with AMD RDNA 3 graphics (12 compute units, up to ~2.7GHz) — capable of around 8.6 TFLOPS in peak GPU power.
It comes with 16GB LPDDR5‑6400 dual‑channel memory and a 512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD. Storage is upgradeable (M.2 2230 form factor) and there’s a micro‑SD slot.
In real‑world testing, reviewers found strong performance in many gaming scenarios. For example, when connected to power and in Turbo mode, the Ally delivered impressively smooth gameplay in several AAA games with medium/high settings. But performance varies depending on game, TDP mode (9W‑30W), and whether on‑battery or plugged‑in.
One highlight: the device supports external eGPU/dock solutions via the ROG XG Mobile interface, meaning you can convert handheld into a more full‑blown desktop‑like setup.
Battery Life, Thermals & Portability
Here lies a major trade‑off. The ROG Ally is power‑dense, but battery capacity is modest (~40Wh) and in high performance modes you’ll experience limited runtime. Several reviews report under 2 hours of gaming on battery alone.
For instance, one review found continuous gaming time to be about 40 minutes in demanding titles. That means for travel or on‑the‑go gaming you’ll likely need to stay near a power source or use a high‑capacity power bank.
On the thermal front, the device uses dual‐fan cooling, anti‑gravity heat pipes, and intelligent cooling system — capable of maintaining performance even in handheld orientation. That said, joint temperatures (especially the rear/edge) can become warm under load.
Software, Ecosystem & Game Support
ROG Ally runs Windows 11 Home — meaning you’re getting full PC‑game library access (Steam, Epic, GOG, etc) rather than a closed ecosystem. The included ASUS Armory Crate SE software provides performance mode switching, macro assignments, system monitoring and a gaming hub.
However, some reviewers point out that Windows on a handheld still has rough edges: UI and driver support may not always be optimized for handheld format, and some games may require manual tweaking for best experience.
For connectivity, there’s WIFI 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, USB‑C with DisplayPort support, micro‑SD slot and optional docking solutions.
Price & Local Availability (Bangladesh context)
Globally, the ROG Ally launched at around US $699 for the Z1 Extreme / 16GB/512GB version. In Bangladesh, the imported price will be higher due to duties and availability — expect a premium.
Because of its niche nature and power demands, local availability may be limited and you should check warranty status, accessory compatibility, and import logistics if buying from abroad.
Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Top‑tier specs for a handheld: Ryzen Z1 Extreme, high refresh display, upgradable storage.
- Windows 11 full PC game compatibility rather than restricted handheld OS.
- Excellent display quality (1080p @120Hz) and smooth controls.
- Expandable via docking/eGPU — high flexibility.
- Strong build, good ergonomics and premium feel.
❌ Cons
- Battery life is weak for AAA gaming on battery alone — major limitation for portable use.
- Windows 11 and PC games library mean you may need to tweak settings; not as plug‑and‑play as consoles.
- Screen size still modest (7‑inch) relative to some handhelds; UI scaling for some games might be challenging.
- Price is high, and localized support / service may be limited.
- While portable, for longer sessions you’ll often need external power or dock — reducing true handheld mobility.
Should You Buy It?
If you’re a gamer who already has a PC game library, wants full PC capabilities in a handheld, and doesn’t mind being near power or docking, the ROG Ally is one of the best options available. It bridges the gap between gaming laptop and console in a manner unseen until now.
On the other hand, if your priority is long battery life, ultra‑lightweight portability, or simple plug‑and‑play console experience, you might find the compromises too large. Waiting for future iterations (with larger battery, better efficiency) could make sense.
Final Verdict
The ASUS ROG Ally is a landmark device in the handheld gaming space — it shows what’s possible when you pack PC‑level hardware into portable form. It delivers performance, flexibility and premium build. But that power comes with trade‑offs: battery life and dependency on power/docking reduce some of the true “on‑the‑go” freedom.
For 2023 and the foreseeable future, if you want the most powerful Windows handheld and are okay with its quirks, the ROG Ally is highly recommended. Rated in the GizmoDaily scale, I’ll give it: 8.5 / 10.